The rivalry between Chelsea and Leeds United is known for its unbridled ferocity.
The feud between these two foes emerged in the 1960s following some hotly-contested clashes, fuelled by the continual battle between England’s north and south.
While meetings have been less frequent in the 21st century with Leeds having spent the majority of their lives in the second tier, encounters between the two sides remain just as fierce and bitter as ever.
Here is the complete head-to-head record between Chelsea and Leeds, as well as some memorable meetings over the years.
A blossoming rivalry came to a head in the 1967 FA Cup semi-final as the Blues faced the Whites at Villa Park. Another affair built on a ruthless physical battle between the two teams, it was Chelsea who came out narrow 1-0 winners.
Tony Hateley netted just before half-time for Tommy Docherty’s side to send them to the final, but there was plenty of late drama as Leeds saw two goals chalked off, the first for offside and the second for a free kick being taken too quickly.
However, Leeds’ complaints fell on deaf ears, with Chelsea losing the subsequent final 2-1 to London foes Tottenham Hotspur.
Six months later, Leeds would get their revenge. Not only would Don Revie’s side beat a managerless Chelsea, but they would enjoy their biggest-ever victory against them, putting seven unanswered goals past the Blues at Elland Road.
There were seven different scorers for Leeds, with Albert Johanneson, Jimmy Greenhoff and World Cup winner Jack Charlton putting them three up after 16 minutes, while Peter Lorimer added a fourth before the break.
Eddie Gray, who is the great-uncle of current Leeds starlet Archie, bagged in the final half-hour, with a Marvin Hinton own goal and Billy Bremner strike rubbing salt in the Chelsea wounds.
Chelsea and Leeds would meet in the FA Cup yet again in 1970, this time in the final. The first match finished 2-2 between the sides, forcing a replay at Old Trafford just under three weeks later as both teams sought a first-ever FA Cup crown.
The replay would also finish level after 90 minutes, well-documented as one of the most ferocious matches ever played in English football due to a high volume of uncompromising challenges and acts of violence – including several punches and a headbutt.
Mick Jones put Leeds in front ten minutes before the end of the first half, but Peter Osgood would cancel his strike out with a wonderful diving header. However, Chelsea would net a 104th-minute winner through defender David Webb’s far-post header, helping the Blues claim a momentous and memorable victory in Manchester.
Following Leeds’ relegation from the Premier League, Chelsea would clash with the Whites for the first time in eight years in the 2012/13 League Cup quarter-final. With such a gulf in quality between the two teams, it was hardly surprising that the west London side ran riot at Elland Road.
However, Leeds did give the reigning European champions a scare, with Luciano Becchio firing the hosts in front before half-time. But a star-studded Chelsea side would quickly put the game beyond doubt, Juan Mata, Branislav Ivanovic and Victor Moses netting within 20 minutes of the restart.
Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres put some gloss on the scoreline late on in what was a humbling second half for Leeds, although Chelsea would suffer a surprise defeat to Swansea City in the semi-final.
The Whites only won one of their six meetings with Chelsea upon their Premier League return, but it was a memorable afternoon at Elland Road for the Leeds faithful.
Only the third game of the 2022/23 season, Leeds were rampant against a woeful Chelsea, with Edouard Mendy’s blunder pounced upon by Brenden Aaronson just after the half-hour mark to put the Whites ahead. Rodrigo’s header doubled their advantage four minutes later, with Jack Harrison adding a third with 20 minutes to play.
However, despite a wonderful victory against their rivals, it would still be a dismal season for Leeds who were relegated back to the second tier at the end of the campaign.
Chelsea vs Leeds United – Complete head-to-head record
Chelsea vs Leeds United – Premier League head-to-head record
Chelsea vs Leeds United – FA Cup head-to-head record
Top scorers in Chelsea vs Leeds United fixtures
Player
Team represented
Goals
Peter Lorimer
Leeds
7
Peter Osgood
Chelsea
7
Mick Jones
Leeds
6
Eidur Gudjohnsen
Chelsea
4
John Spencer
Chelsea
4
